À Babi la Belle

lille3000 is presenting the À Babi la Belle exhibition at Maison St So, in partnership with Éditions du Seuil publishing house. The project is part of the revival of the photo-story genre and is inspired by the April 2025 publication of Les Amours de Machérie, by Marguerite Abouet, author of the famous Aya de Yopougon, and photographer Kader Diaby, a rising figure on the Ivory Coast photographic scene. Actors Albin de la Simone and Izabella Maya appear in the photo-story. The exhibition offers a participative version of this amusing adventure in the streets of Abidjan!

This original project involves inviting the public to take a wander through the sets of Marguerite Abouet’s photo-story. Visitors can use a “photo studio” setup to take selfies in specially designed spaces, with printed backgrounds from Kader Diaby’s photographs. Each space reproduces a key place from the book and everyday life in Abidjan, such as a family lounge or a hairdresser’s, allowing participants to place themselves in scenes inspired by the writer’s story.

The exhibition also lets visitors walk along a corridor transformed into a busy street in Abidjan, full of fabrics and sounds recorded for the exhibit. This plunges them into the vibrant and colourful atmosphere of a district in the Ivory Coast, enjoying a sensory experience, where they are fully immersed in the unique ambiance of the city.

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↑ © Kader Diaby